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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.—It’s Halloween time, and the American Red Cross is out for blood.

This month, the organization is partnering up with the Grand Rapids Ballet to offer donors a buy one, get one free coupon to the company’s performance of “Dracula.”

“Much like Dracula needed blood to stay alive, thousands of hospital patients also need this precious resource to survive,” said Todd Kulman, communications program manager with the Great Lakes Blood Services Region.

This year’s production of Dracula returns with a newly orchestrated score and updated scenery and projections.

The American Red Cross will be holding blood drives at the following locations:

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (Meijer) – Meijer, the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based supercenter chain, announced today that it is partnering with Priority Health, Michigan's leading health plan, to raise awareness and help customers obtain information regarding their options as open enrollment for health insurance begins under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

The Michigan-based entities have unveiled a Health Reform and You! website at http://www.meijer.com/aca and are also providing informational brochures for customers at 203 Meijer pharmacy locations in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.—Enjoy a “Night of Nets” while helping prevent malaria in Zambia during next week’s Cornerstone University games.

Cornerstone is teaming up with Hope and Calvin colleges to purchase bed nets that prevent infected mosquitoes from spreading malaria. The first of five fund-raising games took place Saturday, September 14. The next benefit is Tuesday, October 1 at 7 p.m. during the Cornerstone men’s soccer game against Siena Heights. The last match-up to prevent malaria will be Wednesday, October 2, as the Cornerstone women’s volleyball team takes on Aquinas.

Each suggested donation of $6 will provide a bed net for a family in Zambia. Over the past three years, the Night of Nets campaign has generated more than $35,000 to purchase nearly 6,000 bed nets for families living in sub-Saharan Africa. Cornerstone’s goal this year is to raise $30,000 for the project.

HOLLAND, Mich.—A car wash and bake sale will take place at Lakeshore Transmissions this weekend, to help a Grandville man in need of a liver transplant.

John Castaneda was diagnosed with liver cancer last year. While he awaits a transplant, Castaneda, 57, faces steep medical bills. The average liver transplant costs approximately $575,000, and that doesn’t include a lifetime of follow-up care and daily anti-rejection medications. Castaneda will also be forced to temporarily relocate 150 miles from home during recovery, leading to substantial expenses for food, travel and lodging.

Organizations in Kent, Ottawa and Muskegon counties are teaming up this week to encourage people to take the stairs.

Take the Stairs Week runs September 3 through September 6. The three-day campaign is meant to encourage people to become more physically active while saving energy. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, graphic designs promoting healthy behavior have been shown to motivate stair users; that’s why Kendall College of Art and Design at Ferris State University created images for this campaign. Free color signs are available at the Heart of West Michigan United Way for businesses and organizations with escalators or elevators.